Rose, Charlotte - Bayou Rescue [The Shifters of Alligator Bend 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Charlotte Rose

  “It won’t work.”

  Georgina gave a harsh laugh. “A man with that much money will get his way every time. So we have to find a way to rescue them. Not just Rosaline and Armand, either. We have to protect all those gators because there’s no way that Villemont has their best interests in mind. The congregation kept me home today so that I could help them work on our new strategy.”

  Adele sighed. “You know, I think I can start overlooking some of your absences. And let me know if there’s anything I can do to help you save Georgina and Armand. My head is reeling right now, but these people are your family, and I want to help them.”

  Georgina nodded. “Thanks. We really appreciate it.”

  “Anyway, I should get back to the lab. It’s getting late.”

  “Xavier and Oscar are good guys, by the way. I agree with Serafine. You shouldn’t make this decision lightly, but I think you’d make a great addition to our little congregation, if you ever wanted to join us.”

  Adele smiled. She couldn’t even begin to process the possibility, but she didn’t want to offend Georgina. “Thanks, I appreciate it. I’ll see you on Monday.” There’s no way on earth I’m becoming a gator bride.

  Chapter Three

  On Friday night, Adele sat in her office, poring over journal articles that would serve as foundational texts for her newest research project. She’d spent the past week struggling to keep her mind focused on work. After everything that had happened the previous Sunday evening, she couldn’t get Oscar, Xavier, or the things she had learned out of her mind. Her attention to both her teaching and her research had flagged. Occasionally, Georgina would shoot her knowing glances and would stop by her office to check in on her.

  “How are you holding up?” Georgina would ask. “I know it’s a lot to take in. I’ve seen other women learn about us and handle it much less gracefully.”

  “I’m fine, really.” Adele would smile and change the subject. “How are the plans going? Can I do anything to help?”

  “We’re still working on it, but I might ask for a favor in the near future. I promise it won’t be anything dangerous.” After these reassurances, Georgina would disappear off to the lab or to class, only to reappear the next day with the same question. Adele spent the week claiming she was just fine, and kept conversation to the topic of rescue rather than romance.

  But Adele was more distracted than she cared to admit, and when five o’clock on Friday rolled around, she realized just how behind she was on preparing the literature review for her current project. She resolved to hole up in her office and not come out until she was caught up.

  As the sun began its descent, Adele found her ability to concentrate weakening.

  I should just go out into the Quarter for a bit and have a drink. Just one drink will be plenty to relax and take my mind off things. Adele breathed a sigh of relief when she managed to find a decent parking spot, and then she descended into the cavalcade of Bourbon Street. After a few minutes of walking, however, she realized that she wasn’t really in the mood for the jam-packed, touristy scene. Making a few turns and crossing a few streets, she came to a quiet section of the Quarter, largely free of tourists. She went into the first bar she saw and was relieved to find an open stool.

  “Gin and tonic, please,” she said.

  After the bartender handed her the drink, Adele turned her seat around and began watching the other customers enjoying the start of the weekend. For the first time all week, she started to relax. Thoughts of both work and shifters faded from her mind, and before she knew it, her drink was gone.

  “One more, please,” she called to the bartender. Although she’d told herself she’d only stay for one, the call of the lab and dry science writing wasn’t as alluring as the French Quarter on a Friday night.

  Turning back to the bar and sipping her fresh drink, Adele realized that she was starting to get hungry and thought about requesting a table so she could eat. But before she had a chance to even ask to see a menu, she felt a strong hand on her shoulder.

  “Oscar and I have a table near the back, and we got room for one more. Wanna join us for dinner?”

  Adele turned around, and her pussy started to throb at the sight of Xavier’s dark face and sparkling eyes and the way his leather jacket was cut perfectly for his well-muscled body.

  “Hi,” she said, trying to conceal her surprise. “I, uh, didn’t expect to see you here.”

  As soon as she uttered the words, Adele wished she’d come up with a better response. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to be around them. She just couldn’t imagine that she was ever going to run into them again.

  “Well, we can’t work out in the swamp all the time,” Xavier said with a grin. “But that don’t answer my question. Will you join us?”

  At first, she wanted to resist. She still hadn’t quite sorted things out in her mind. She wanted more time to figure out her feelings and thoughts before having more contact with Oscar and Xavier.

  Her heart, however, was not willing to listen to her brain’s logic. She realized that she’d been thinking and wondering for nearly an entire week, but she was no closer to coming up with any answers. She still hadn’t figured out what she wanted to do. If I haven’t come to any resolutions by now, I’m not going to reach them anytime soon. Besides, I’m a scientist. I know that I can’t come to any conclusions without further investigation. I guess I’d better join them.

  She laughed at her own joke. When Xavier looked at her, she only grinned.

  “Yes, I’d be happy to join you for dinner.”

  She got up and followed Xavier to the other end of the bar. Oscar smiled as she approached, and before she sat down, he got up to give her a gentle kiss on the cheek. Xavier pulled out a chair for her, and she settled into her seat, taking in the way their eyes managed to shine even in the dim light.

  “Would you like another drink?” Oscar asked, motioning for one of the servers.

  Adele paused for a moment. “Just one more.”

  Oscar and Xavier offered her a menu, and after a cursory glance, she decided she wanted a burger and fries. “What brings you into town?” she asked once the waiter left with their orders.

  “We don’t just stay out in the swamps all the time,” Oscar said, giving her a smile. “You know Georgina gets into the city often enough.”

  Adele smiled. “She had me under the impression that leaving the confines of the congregation was more or less frowned upon.”

  “Oh, it is,” Xavier said. “Even so, we all need to relax every once in awhile. Once we get control over our shiftin’ powers, we get a little breathin’ room. Oscar an’ I try to come to New Orleans once or twice a month, just to enjoy the city. Of course, there’s usually a little fussin’ when we take off, but nobody’s ever stopped us.”

  “Ain’t like we’re gonna stay gone more than two days, anyhow,” Oscar added. “We ain’t got a death wish.”

  “I’m surprised I haven’t seen you here before, then.”

  “Well, the Quarter is a pretty busy place on Friday nights,” Oscar said. “Besides, it ain’t like we stand out in a crowd.”

  “Oh, I wouldn’t say that.” Adele bit her tongue, surprised at her own audacity.

  “What did you say?” Xavier asked, a sly smile playing across his lips.

  “Nothing.” Adele stared intently at the fresh drink the waiter set in front of her.

  “Really?” Oscar teased. “That ain’t what I heard.”

  “What did you hear?”

  Oscar leaned over so close that she could feel his breath on her skin. “I heard you sayin’ that we stand out in a crowd.”

  Adele blushed, and her cunt tingled as his words rushed through her ear. “Maybe I said that.”

  “Maybe?” Xavier raised his eyebrows.

  “Okay, I did.”

  “What are you ashamed of, then?” Oscar asked. “I don’t know if you realized this, but men like knowin’ when women find them attractive.”

>   “And women like men who don’t have big egos,” she said with a laugh.

  “Oh, I see, tryin’ not to let us get swelled heads? Is that what you’re worried about?” Xavier asked, leaning in as close as Oscar. Her cunt pulsed even harder as his whispers ricocheted through her body.

  “Maybe the two of you do really have ego problems,” she whispered back. “After all, you were the ones fishing for compliments.”

  “Fishin’ for compliments?” Xavier acted shocked, but Adele could hear the sarcasm in his voice. “Honey, we fish for lots of things, but compliments ain’t one of them.”

  “Then what do you call telling me you didn’t stand out in a crowd? That sounded like you were baiting me. You were baiting me, weren’t you? You were trying to get me to admit that I’m into you.”

  “She’s onto us,” Oscar said with a laugh. “Fine. We were tryin’ to get a sense of how you felt about us. Is that so wrong?”

  “Not wrong at all,” Adele said with a smile. “Now, though, I think you both need to tell me a little bit about what you think about me.”

  “Well, that’s easy,” Oscar said. He paused as the waiter brought them their food, and then turned his attention back to Adele. “I don’t know you very well, but there’s somethin’ about you that’s just completely irresistible. I wanna sit here at this table and talk all night until I learn everythin’ about you. Then, I wanna take you home and learn everythin’ I can about your body.”

  All Adele wanted to do was slide under the table and give each man a blow job, not caring what the other diners saw or thought. Her pussy was throbbing with desire. Rather than give into her desires, though, Adele turned her attention to Xavier.

  “What about you? What do you think of me?”

  Xavier winked at her. “If it’s all the same to you, I think I’d rather let my body do the talkin’ for me.”

  Without saying another word, he pulled Adele in for a kiss. Her body exploded as his lips met hers and his tongue pushed between her teeth. She lost herself in the contact, attempting to taste every centimeter of his mouth before he finally pulled away.

  “How’s that?” he whispered. “That give you an idea of what I’m feelin’ when I look at you?”

  “Yes,” she whispered back.

  “Darlin’, you’re gorgeous, but I’m ravenous,” Xavier said as he dug into his dinner. Oscar followed suit, and Adele found that even her appetite had returned. Despite the fact that they were still strangers to her, Adele realized that conversation happened easily between the three of them. They were curious about her research, and she was anxious to learn more about shifter life on the bayou. But when she asked about plans to rescue Armand and Rosaline, they suddenly fell silent.

  “What? Did I say something wrong? Did Georgina not tell you she’d talked to me about it?”

  “Don’t worry, she did,” Oscar said. “That’s fine. It’s just not quite the right conversation to be having tonight, if you know what I mean. I don’t know about you, but I don’t quite feel like being serious right now.” With that, he leaned over and kissed her. Xavier ran his fingertips up and down her arms, sending little jolts of electricity out through the rest of her body. She almost felt sad as he pulled away, knowing she’d never get to experience the rush of a first kiss with them ever again. Although Adele felt her entire body heat up with desire, her mind was acutely aware that they were in public, and any stray patron might notice them.

  “What’s wrong?” Xavier asked, looking worried.

  Adele couldn’t help but cast a furtive glance around the bar to ensure they hadn’t been seen. “You two are both amazing kissers. But I’m not exactly into PDA. I can’t stop worrying what will happen if somebody notices us.”

  Xavier chuckled and gave her a knee-weakening grin. “How ’bout if we went somewhere private? Would that make you feel better?”

  “I think that sounds like a great idea.”

  Xavier dropped a wad of bills on the table, and Adele marveled at the cash. For humble fishermen, they seem to have plenty to spare.

  “What?” Xavier asked. “The family business does really well.”

  “I didn’t realize it did that well.”

  “You’d better believe it. Now, shall we take this party elsewhere?”

  * * * *

  Xavier couldn’t believe his luck. Nor could he believe the way his body was acting. Even though he barely knew Adele, there was something about her that drove him wilder than he’d ever been in his life. After she’d disappeared on her boat the week before, Xavier had spent the week convinced that Serafine had been wrong, that Adele wasn’t really their mate. He didn’t think someone who was supposed to be a perfect fit for them would suddenly take off and not even bother to try contacting them.

  When he kissed her in the middle of the restaurant, though, his whole perspective changed. No woman had ever tasted so perfect. No woman had ever tasted so right. The sensations were so strong that they threatened to overpower him and release his gator form onto an unsuspecting restaurant. Always a man to remain in control, though, he’d managed to keep his shift in check.

  As they left the bar, Xavier was overwhelmed by the compulsion to kiss her again. Grabbing her by the hand, he ducked her around a corner and pressed her against the wall of the building, his tongue delving between her teeth. His cock surged to attention, and the gator inside of him rumbled, anxious for release. Refusing to let it loose, he turned his attention to Adele, focusing on the saltiness of her lips and the way the flesh of her arms yielded to his hands. He savored the sound of her moans and the way her vocalizations rumbled across his lips.

  “Don’t be greedy, man,” Oscar said. He jostled Xavier out of the way with a playful push, and Xavier stepped aside to watch his friend kiss Adele. As he watched Oscar’s lips move over hers, as he watched Oscar’s hands squeeze her hips, his cock grew harder than he ever could have imagined. When he heard Adele moan in response to the pleasure Oscar was giving her, Xavier’s cock strained even further against his pants.

  “My turn again,” he said, anxious to taste her some more. This time, Adele eased her fingertips up and down the rigid line in Xavier’s pants, and his moans mingled with hers. His legs started to tremble and he struggled to remain standing. All he wanted to do was drop into a soft bed somewhere and fuck her, preferably with Oscar taking her at the same time.

  Not wanting to be greedy, Xavier stepped away. Oscar pulled Adele into another deep kiss. Xavier took her hand and slowly began sucking on each fingertip. He paid attention to each one, swirling his tongue until she moaned into Oscar’s mouth. When Xavier was done with her fingers, he kissed each knuckle and then began working his way up, dotting her hand and wrist with tiny kisses, not stopping until he reached her shoulder. He paid special attention to the joint, kissing all the way around, and then sliding the tip of his tongue up and down the back of her neck. He could feel his mating instincts taking over. As he smelled and tasted her smooth skin, his cock grew even harder, and his heart pounded with the desire to claim her, to turn her, to make her theirs forever. Opening his mouth slightly, he gently raked his upper teeth down her clavicle. Adele moaned, and Xavier opened his mouth a little wider. He couldn’t resist. He needed her.

  Before he had a chance to sink his teeth into her shoulder, a force shoved him aside so hard that he fell. A few people stopped to stare. Glancing up from the pavement, Xavier saw Oscar towering over him.

  “What do you think you were doing?” he snapped.

  Xavier looked away. “I was just havin’ a little fun.”

  Oscar reached down and pulled Xavier up to standing. “I don’t think so. How ’bout you tell me what you were really planning’?”

  “What’s going on here?” Adele asked, pushing them apart.

  “Go ahead, tell her,” Oscar said.

  Xavier couldn’t bring himself to look her in the eye. “I–I was just gonna bite you.”

  “What’s wrong with that? I just so happen to lik
e biting.”

  “He wasn’t just tryin’ to bite you,” Oscar said with a sigh. “That ain’t how it works. There’s no such thing as harmless bitin’ between a gator shifter and a human.”

  Adele’s face went pale. “What do you mean?” Her voice was barely above a whisper.

  “I mean that if one of us bites you, you’re turned. You become a shifter, too.”

  Adele faced Xavier with a look of betrayal on her face. “You were trying to turn me?”

  “I’m sorry,” he said. “I know it was wrong. I just—I couldn’t help myself.”

  “That’s no excuse,” she snarled.

  “I know it ain’t. You just—you just smelled so good, you tasted so good, and it felt so right to touch you. We belong together, Adele. Yeah, last week, I was kinda doubtful. But tonight I ain’t able to resist what my body is tellin’ me to do.”

  “I don’t care if your body was telling you that we’d each get a million dollars if you turned me. You have no right to change me without my permission.”

  “I know, I know. Just try to look at it from my perspective.”

  “Or maybe you should try to look at it from mine. Would you want your entire life turned upside down, forever, without your permission?”

  Xavier hung his head. “I guess not.”

  Adele stepped out from between them. “Thank you for dinner, gentlemen.” Although she sounded polite, the edgy anger in her voice was perfectly clear. Xavier could only imagine what would happen if she allowed her temper to break loose.

  Adele continued. “For the most part, you two have been a wonderful source of company. However, I think it’s time for me to take off.”

  “Will we see you again?” Oscar asked. Xavier heard the nervousness in his voice and felt guilty that he’d given his friend a reason to be uncertain.

  Adele shook her head. “I don’t think so. I can’t get involved if I’m constantly worrying that one of you won’t be able to control himself. I’m not about to be turned just because you two can’t keep your hormones in check. I don’t need that kind of anxiety in my life, and especially not in my relationships. If I can’t trust you, this isn’t going to work out.”